


Burn With Me

by Pageling



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), The Force Awakens - Fandom
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Beta Wanted, Hurt/Comfort, Kylux - Freeform, M/M, Mentions of Darth Vader - Freeform, Mentions of Snoke - Freeform, Slow Burn, kylo's got 99 problems but Hux ain't one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-15
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2018-08-31 04:20:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8563810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pageling/pseuds/Pageling
Summary: With only each other in the fallout of the First Order's dissolution, General Hux and Kylo Ren learn that bad company is better than no company at all. And when then forest begins to reveal it's secrets, nothing is the same.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely based on the 1843 short story "The Gold-Bug" by Edgar Allan Poe

It was years ago, ages practically, soon after the destruction of Starkiller Base when Armitage Hux incurred an intimacy with Ben Solo, former Knight of Ren. When the First Order’s fledgeling reign fell to shambles without their grand weapon or the location of Luke Skywalker, many of its supporters quietly scattered. Former General Hux was no exception, and neither was Kylo Ren. In the wake of Ren’s failure, Snoke had abandoned the favored knight who had made a promising apprentice, and he had abandoned decades of planning and other loyal personnel along with him. Like a shamed beast with its tail tucked between its legs, Snoke had disappeared and left nothing for the shell of an organization he’d worked so diligently to raise from the ashes of Vader’s Galactic Empire. For many the abandonment was suffocating.

In the wake of destruction and chaos, Hux had chosen a wise plan. Escape. He could have attempted a grab for status in the power vacuum, and may have even succeeded, but Hux hadn’t been able to predict the disaster, and refused to strategize in the moment, lest he make a grave mistake and ruin it all. He’d chosen Endor’s moon as his place of exile, while he bided his time, carefully regrouped, and planned.

The moon was wooded enough to provide sanctuary if one kept to the remote parts, of which there were many, yet just busy enough that no one would think to look for him there. It was very historic. There were the ruins of old Empire outposts scattered about to shelter in, as well as scraps from significant battles long ago to be dismantled and repurposed as he pleased. The humid atmosphere and local flora and fauna were vastly diverse, with many species still undiscovered and uncatalogued. A wealth of knowledge ripe for the taking. Hux utterly despised it all.

The segment of forest in which Hux had settled was strategically near to a decrepit Empire research outpost consisting of a courtyard and several rudimentary buildings with long outdated technology. Hux had inspected the outpost upon his initial arrival, and immediately deemed it unsuitable for habitation, though he did explore for useful scavenging materials. Hux utilized the resource of the outpost frequently, as much as it unsettled him to surround himself with empty ruins echoing of the Empire. It was too much a reminder of the recent decimation of the First Order. Besides that, Hux couldn’t shake the odd sense that the space was still thrumming with life, even when it was still so clearly abandoned. He much preferred the space of his own shuttle, which he had landed in a clearing amongst the towering trees where it would be seen by none flying overhead. The shuttle was also exceptionally difficult to access by land, unless one knew exactly where it was located.

Thick, plush moss and other creeping things had long grown over the surface of the once immaculate ship in it’s stagnancy. When he had first arrived, Hux had set a routine that included emerging daily to scour the shuttle’s exterior and perform maintenance, ensuring it was clean and immaculate, ready for an emergency takeoff. When after a few moths of this routine, Endor seemed to prove itself relentless in claiming Hux’s shuttle as part of itself, Hux decided maybe a few vines would help to further camouflage the ship, and abandoned his attempts. Scraping vegetation off with a knife like a savage was no longer worth the effort.

Hux spent most of his days inside his ship anyway, unaffected by nature. During his long days here, Hux's central goal was planning and evaluating, attempting to determine his next move, and when it would finally be safe to leave the accursed moon and begin to draw the galaxy back into some semblance of order. The days dragged on ever so slowly, especially for a man who had once been occupied every minute of the day with hardly a moment’s rest. He longed to be busy again, to pick up his old cause, or any cause that would allow him to apply his general’s mind to something grand and important. But Hux been on Endor for nearly a standard year now, and knew the galaxy hadn’t forgotten him yet. He was more than restless. He yearned to be part of something again, to be back in the loop, or better yet, running it. From what he knew, the universe had spiraled into the same disorder he’d found it in before Snoke’s regime. The New Republic had taken over in the First Order’s absence, and was doing a piss poor job of maintaining order as far as Hux had heard, and he cursed them bitterly. It was the Republic's popularity that was keeping Hux here, as he knew without the proper connections and power to back himself up, appearing on the public radar as a former general of the First Order would be a death sentence. The time was not yet right for him to step up and try again, even if Hux was sure his plans were sound. Timing was key, and now it was all a waiting game.

With increasing restlessness as more and more time was wasted doing nothing, Hux had only very recently begun to venture out of his shuttle’s immediate surroundings to explore more of the moon. Every so often Hux would make discrete stops to the moon's trading posts for necessities he lacked within his ship's limited supplies, but he avoided these places to the best of his ability. In his excursions, Hux had not grown to like the forest atmosphere, but he certainly respected it and could recognize that the towering trees and low curling mists were something of a sensational rarity. The long, arduous walks gave him something to do other than sit and go quietly mad with boredom and uselessness. It was on one of these walks on a particularly misty day when Hux discovered a small island behind a thick copse. There was an old, unsafe looking bridge of native materials that spanned a small chasm of water, which acted like a moat around a thin strip of heavily wooded island. It was unusual for Hux to have journeyed this direction, yet he was surprised to find such an unusual setting so close to where he spent most of his days huddled in his ship. It was unnerving.

Though Hux got the sense that perhaps something lived across the water, and that the something might be dangerous to him, he still decided to go investigate for himself. His teeth were unconsciously grit, and there was an iciness in his limbs as adrenaline crept through his body. It was unsettling to discover that he was potentially not alone in this space of wilderness. Hux could not leave now without the peace of mind that visiting the island would provide him. Either he was alone, or he wasn’t, and something would possibly have to be done about a situation involving neighbors. Hux could not be discovered here by anyone of significance, or anyone with a mouth, and he refused to remain in the presence of anything that might be a danger to his life physically. He didn’t fancy an ambush in the middle of the night, nor was he looking to find his throat slit on one of his walks.

Drawing the blaster he always kept at his side nowadays, Hux took several calming, deep breaths and set one careful boot on the bridge. The plank of wood bowed, but did not break, and so Hux proceeded, testing every step before assigning to it his whole weight. By the time he reached the other side of the bridge and finally set foot on land, Hux began to feel as if every hair on his body was standing on end. The water from the slow river surrounding the island caused thick mist to rise and thicken the air more steadily than in the clearing of Hux’s shuttle. He could hear his own heart pounding in his ears, and readily scolded himself for feeling so spooked. But there was an eeriness here Hux could not ignore, as he crept onward along a thin trail worn into the earth. Now through the mist, Hux could see what appeared to be a small cabin. Curious, since it wasn’t at all like the tree dwellings of the Ewoks Hux had seen, nor was it an Imperial structure, or anything in between.

Thick beams of wood seemed scorched into shape, layered and stacked until they formed a modest but sturdy abode. There was something eerily uncanny about the burns, yet Hux's mind could not fathom the reason for the familiarity or where he had seen such marks before. A small window, clearly scavenged from some ancient Imperial structure, sat high on the wall adjacent to a door of a simple sheet of metal. Fragrant smoke rose through a hole in the roof, and Hux stood stunned as he took the scene in. The cabin was... charming. Suspicious and terrifying because it was so sublime. Nothing in this blasted forest had any right to look so welcoming. Swallowing down his nervousness and doubts, Hux schooled his face into a grave mask and armed his blaster. Surely the cabin was occupied, or soon to be so, and Hux would not be caught unawares.

Deciding there was only one way to go about this, Hux marched promptly up to the door, and gave a sterile, neat rap with his gloved knuckles. No sense in barging in and burning a bridge before it was built. Even if Hux would have to eradicate the hut’s dweller later, he didn’t need them to know his intentions yet, lest it lead to any immediate hostility and harm to his person. With the blaster at his side, ready but tucked out of sight beneath his First Order greatcoat, Hux held his breath and waited. Without so much as a scuffle of sound from inside the cabin, the door suddenly swung open to reveal a hooded figure cast in shadow, and a dark scarf pulled over it’s face. Though Hux could hardly see in the dim lighting of the cabin and the fuzziness of the mist, he was certain the figure was humanoid. He smiled thinly and opened his mouth to greet the dweller, when a soft, singular word was uttered into the silence, making his blood run cold.

“Hux.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know guys, I'm supposed to be working on "The Shaking," but I was reading Poe and this sort of just happened. I have a few more chapters of this lined up, and I'm pretty excited to try the idea out. Keeping it relatively short is the goal. I'd love a beta, and if anyone would like to help edit I'd really love to hear from you. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Bones chilled and body petrified, Hux could seldom draw a new breath or even blink in his stunned nature when a bright, horrifically cheery voice from further back into the cabin suddenly exclaimed, “Oh! Master Ben! You didn’t mention we were having any company!”

Astounded by the strangeness of it all and with panic washing over him, Hux balked and raised his blaster to the figure’s face to end this mess before it could begin. Anyone that recognized Hux on sight was a danger to be eliminated immediately. His finger was on the trigger when the shrouded figure threw up his hands and shifted the angle of his face to allow the scarf to fall away revealing wide, stunned eyes with a worried mouth. A familiar mouth. A familiar scar.

Hux’s blaster was barely inches from the face of Kylo Ren.

His weapon could have been easily batted out of the way, but it wasn’t, and Hux hesitated. With their gazes locked, Kylo Ren looked terrified, and maybe even hopeful. Hux hadn’t been seized by the hand of the force, even when he could physically feel the air crackling with its energy. Hux’s hindbrain was screaming at him to shoot and run before Ren came to his senses and snap Hux’s neck or freeze him, and yet... armistice.

With a furious growl, Hux mentally shook himself off, and took several steps back from the door and from Ren, placing himself well out of physical reach. It wouldn’t do much good if Ren decided to use the force, but it was the only measure Hux could take in his own defense, feeble as it may be. “What the hell are you doing here, Ren,” Hux spat, while the sound of objects clattering around in the hut and a droid’s rambling filled the background.

Silence stretched on for a pregnant, tense moment before Ren visibly swallowed. A new light flickered in his eyes. It was dangerous. “I could ask you the same, General,” Ren murmured, wide, pale palms still open to Hux. Hux could only shake his head and resist the urge to spit. He was furious and couldn’t discern why. Perhaps it was the indigence of being caught here by the one man in the universe who might rank as his equal, seen in his shame and out of his element. Perhaps it was anger with himself, at his weakness and hesitation to shoot. Hux was calloused to death, unafraid to kill billions with a single order, yet here he couldn’t eliminate one threat to his person two strides in front of him. Maybe it was the mere reality of spotting Ren at all. They had worked in tandem, but Hux had never fostered a fondness for Ren, nor his knights. The beast of a man was a thorn in his side, yet highly valued by the Order. So Hux had tolerated him. With the Order gone and Snoke’s once good opinion now null, Hux found he did not know where his opinion of Ren stood.

When Hux didn’t speak, Ren seemed to sense that he needed to bridge the gap yawning between them. “I will not hurt you, Hux...” the man murmured, emotive face morphing into something morose. It made Hux prickle, not trusting the man for a second and hating the idea that this savage might be pitying him. The cloak wrapped around Ren shifted then, as the bronzy head of a droid poked out from behind the man’s shoulder.

“Oh! Hello there,” the droid called, and if Hux wasn’t still so stunned, he might have sneered at the interruption. “My name is C-3PO. It is _lovely_ to meet you. If you would like, I’ve just made some tea for master Ren, and there’s plenty more,” the droid continued, unfazed by subtle shove of Ren’s elbow into his chest piece that Hux caught. How Ren could tolerate a droid so senseless and upbeat, Hux could not fathom.

Perhaps it was the bizarre exchange between Ren and the absurd, socially oblivious droid that made Hux’s finger fall from his trigger, or maybe it was just a moment of immense stupidity. Whatever the cause, Ren seemed to finish nudging the droid out of sight in time to catch the gesture, and offered Hux a tentative smile. It was jarring. The man seemed too calm for all of this, and it made Hux uneasy. However, it was irritatingly difficult not to adopt the man’s mood. And Hux couldn’t stop staring at Ren’s face. He’d seen it barely once before the First Order’s demise, in an impromptu meeting with Snoke. Then again, carrying Ren away from the crumbling fury of Starkiller, swathed with snow. Hux hadn’t been able to study Ren in either instance, but the man had a face that was difficult to forget.

“ ‘3PO really has just made some tea... If you’d like to come in. I have nothing to gain in harming you, or selling you out,” Ren interjected, clearly seeing Hux’s reasons for caution. “I want to be here. I have no intention of leaving this moon any time soon. I would gain nothing from your demise,” the man continued, while Hux’s heart hammered in his chest. For once, it seemed someone else was three steps ahead of Hux rather than the other way around. He didn’t like it. Not being in control. Too many unknown variables.

Hux wavered, but his answer wasn’t no. He didn’t shoot. Maybe it was the absurd mystery of it all. Maybe it was the allure of Ren, who had always been a fascinating, untouchable figure now revealed in such a different setting. Maybe, it was the prospect of any sort of human contact. Hux hadn’t had a conversation with someone for nearly a year, and loneliness and boredom ached in his ribs. Whatever the case, after several more stiff moments, Hux’s resolve faltered, and he let the blaster fall to his side.

“Why are you being so civil?” Hux asked suspiciously, green eyes narrowed to slits and nose scrunched with disdainful suspicion. Ren only smiled, and relaxed his arms to his sides once more.

“Perhaps you’ve never known me at all, General. You presume much,” the man murmured, stepping out of the doorway and into the dim cabin, expecting Hux to follow. Hux found it very foolish of Ren to trust him so blindly not to shoot. The man was too arrogant.

As satisfying as it would have been to just turn around and leave out of spite, or shoot Ren when his back was turned, Hux found himself hesitating at Ren’s doorway. He really couldn’t walk away now. The coincidence of isolating himself to the same system as Ren, let alone the same moon, or the same few square kilometers was too great. Hux didn’t entertain the notion of fate, but this, he felt, would be a foolish opportunity to ignore. Before him was a shred of his old life, and if he played things carefully, an ally. Hux had tolerated Ren’s irritating wildness in the past, yet there was always an underlying level of respect between them, even if they’d never gotten along. Holding fast to that respect, Hux stepped inside the wooden dwelling, and carefully shut the heavy door behind him.

Ren had already moved on, and was seated at a low table, obviously hewn from a rather impressively large tree stump. Now that Hux had identified the inhabitant, the scorches on the cabin’s exterior made sense. Ren must have cut the sections of logs into planks with his lightsaber. Hux couldn't help but grit his teeth at the memory of those same scorch marks being hacked into his own control panels back when he and Ren had worked together. To distract himself from these thoughts, Hux forced himself to continue to observe his surroundings. There were two small, chair like cushions at the table, clearly purchased or traded for if the exotic fabric and excellent craftsmanship was anything to go by. There was something rather lonely in the realization that Ren lived alone here, yet had still gotten himself enough furniture for company. Isolation and boredom must have been doing things to Hux’s head, if he was sympathizing with _Ren_ of all people.

The shiny droid, '3PO, was still tottering around in the cozy space, carrying a small teapot recently pulled from the fire. Hux observed that the hearth was decently constructed, and was not likely to pose any danger in burning down Ren’s home. How unpredictably responsible. Hux also observed that the hearth was placed adjacent to a low palate bed heaped with blankets, which seemed to be the only other furniture apart from the stump table, the two cushions, and a surprising number of shelves, decorated with what seemed like local oddities, food items, and several glass jars.

“Rather rustic, don’t you think?” Hux proposed dryly, keeping eye contact with Ren as he lowered himself to sit on one of the cushions. He didn’t trust the man yet, and wasn’t afraid to let him know it. Ren raised a dark eyebrow, as if to tacitly ask if Hux was serious, pointing out the obvious. In response, Hux could only roll his eyes. He wasn’t used to seeing real expressions on Ren’s face, and they were in a way unsettling. The inane bucket of a helmet used to provide Hux the opportunity to imagine his own expressions on Ren’s face, which had been both a blessing and a curse. Hux didn’t know where the helmet was now, though he supposed it had been lost with Starkiller. Now Ren seemed to favor keeping his hooded cowl raised, covering his hair and casting his features into shadow. He still hadn’t lost his touch for the dramatic.

In a surreal silence, C-3PO set down two delicate, cylindrical cups of steaming tea on the table along with the metal teapot, and retreated to stand near the window. The liquid smelled heavenly, after only First Order emergency rations and what Hux could subtly buy or trade for at the small markets and trading posts that spotted the moon. However, he was still cautious, and didn’t touch the tea even when Ren lifted his cup to inhale the steam and eventually take a few small sips.

Slowly, Hux realized he had no idea what he was doing here, why he was just entertaining Ren. There was no way he could have constructed a plan for this scenario, and was left entirely at odds. He needed to assess the situation and Ren’s intentions, and then determine what the best course of action was. Minutes stretched on, and Ren seemed content to sip his tea, hardly giving Hux more than a passing glance. It began to irk the former general, and soon he’d run out of patience.

“Alright, Ren. I’ve asked what you’re doing here,” Hux began, studying the hulking, dark form seated across from him with a shrewd eye. There was a beat of silence where it seemed Hux might be ignored, but then Ren sighed, and slowly set down his now empty cup. In what appeared to be a nervous gesture, the man closed his eyes and reached up to rub the poorly healed scar bisecting his features.

“I’m living, Hux,” he drawled slowly, eking a scowl from Hux.

"Living..." Hux repeated incredulously, for a moment wondering if Ren was getting back at him by stating the obvious a bit himself. However, all Hux got was an enigmatic twitch of Ren's lips, which could have been interpreted as the ghost of an amused smile. It made Hux's stomach turn uneasily.

"Yes, Hux. This is my new home. I've lost my place in the world, same as you. It's... quiet here. Not so bad," Ren explained, looking for all the world, serene, and entirely untroubled by the thought of living out his days on Endor like this was some permanent holiday. In that moment, Hux just about lost his mind.

“This is how you’ve decided to spend your days now that Snoke’s abandoned you? Living alone like some mystical hermit and drinking tea when you were built for greatness?” Hux hissed quietly, before he could catch the passion and immediate offense that had slipped into his voice.

The shock of hearing something like that from Ren had caught him off guard. Hux was on this moon biding his time because he needed to, not because he liked it. He was of too pure a caliber to allow himself to waste away here forever. Hux knew Ren was the same. Not only was the man from an ancient, wealthy line of royalty, but he was indisputably the greatest force user of their age. Even Hux, in all his bitterness and rivalry could admit that. It would be a crime to neglect the great resource and raw power of Kylo Ren.

The knight was silent for a moment, studying Hux in turn with large, fathomless eyes that were nearly black in the dark. He seemed to be at a tipping point, and for one split second Hux worried that he had triggered Ren’s famous temper, and that his force choke was finally coming now. But no violence came. Ren redirected his evaluating gaze away from Hux, and quietly refilled his teacup from the pot.

“I’ve given up on greatness,” Ren announced softly. “Or rather... greatness has given up on me,” he amended, and Hux would be damned if he didn’t catch on to the morose apathy of the man’s tone. Dramatic. “It is pleasant here. The quiet. It’s where I belong,” Ren finished, setting down his tea again to let it cool as he met Hux’s gaze once more.

Hux could only stare incredulously at the man, eyebrows drawn together as he struggled to make sense of what Ren had said. It wasn’t right. At first, Hux had thought Ren entirely content with his newly chosen station in life, but yet... There was something else. Ren wasn’t truly happy with his circumstances, not one iota. The man was fooling himself. All his life, Hux had been excellent at reading people, and now he could see right through Ren. Perhaps the knight had convinced himself he was happy, but there was more. Something he couldn’t let go, or could not obtain.

“Surely you can’t be content here,” Hux eventually managed, scrutinizing Ren’s face for any hint he could get. Ren smiled at Hux enigmatically for a long moment, the expression so eerie and out of place that for an instant Hux was sent into a panic again, expecting something horrible. With a shake of his head, Ren reached for the saber he’d had hidden in his cloaks, and set it on the wood with a thunk, which startled Hux into a flinch he knew the man hadn’t missed.

“This is all I’ve got now, Hux,” Ren explained quietly. When Hux only gave Ren a blank stare, the man’s bitter smile returned. He seemed to let Hux puzzle for a moment before he made up his mind to speak.

“The Force is no longer at my command.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up changing the work title and the summary. Hope I didn't confuse anyone. Thank you so much for reading! Comments and criticism are always appreciated. I'd love to hear what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

Silence settled as Hux gawked at Ren for a long moment, waiting for the absurd joke to be over. He’d had it with Ren’s theatrics, and was struggling to discern the validity of the man’s statement. Ren just seemed to be waiting him out, expression blank as Hux had ever seen it. The shadow cast over Ren’s brow didn’t help give Hux any clues.

“What in the seven hells are you blathering about, Ren,” Hux hissed. Dread and uncertainty began to pool in his gut at the frantic suggestion that perhaps Ren wasn’t joking at all. Hux knew nothing of the Force, and next to nothing about Ren. Yet, this didn’t seem something to fool about, if Ren was one for humor at all.

“I mean just what I’ve said,” Ren returned levelly, now with some measure of resigned pain on his features.

“You cannot be serious. What are you talking about?” Hux persisted.

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

“No, clearly not. I’ll admit it readily, Ren, which is why I am asking you to explain,” Hux volleyed curtly.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you,” Ren growled, at which Hux’s shoulders began to tense. It had been months since he’d given an order to anyone, yet for most of his adult life Hux was used to being obeyed without a second thought. It was like a slap in the face to be so blatantly denied an elaboration to this imprudent charade.

“Fine,” he snipped coldly, mood souring at being snubbed. The first potentially meaningful contact he’d had had in a year, and of course it would be Ren’s temperamental visage ruining it all. He didn't need to waste his breath arguing with this grown man about what he chose to do with his life, even if those choices offended Hux to his core. So much power, thrown away. Wasted.

“I don’t expect to hear from you again. I don’t care for all of this Force business. What you do while you rot on this backwater moon is none of my concern,” Hux mandated mostly to himself, rising in one fluid motion that years of scrutiny as an officer had provided for his form. “If I catch one whisper of my whereabouts from so much as an Ewok, I will know it was you,” Hux threatened as he strode towards the door, pushing past the blundering droid that had began to fret uselessly at the rise in tensions. Hux’s claims sounded empty even to his own ears, but he couldn’t admit that now.

The air was crackling temperamentally, despite Ren’s claims of powerlessness in the Force, yet Hux remained untouched as he stormed away from the blackened dwelling. A tightly controlled ball of indignant fury and disappointment, Hux eventually made it off of Ren’s little slip of island and back across the rickety old bridge. Hux didn’t come down from his mood until he was safely tucked away in his shuttle, where he collapsed haughtily against his precisely made bunk.

He knew he had no right to be so upset over Ren’s current state, and furthermore, should not even be interested. Ren’s success or failure in the past had been intertwined with Hux’s own, and therefore had mattered greatly once, but now Hux was on his own. Ren was no longer wasting precious resources, terrifying his troops, or winning him any battles. He was an arrogant fool, and would be a liability to Hux. He didn’t need the knight, who fit nowhere into Hux’s carefully crafted plans when he saw fit to leave the moon. Especially now, if Ren had lost his value and was content to sit and fester in the humid rain and chill of the forest.

Nevertheless, Hux could’t shake his obsession with the sequestered knight. It worried his thoughts the rest of the day, and plagued him at night when he laid down to sleep. Now that he was no longer caught up in the moment of his foolish and highly inappropriate but contained temper tantrum, Hux had been able to remove himself from the situation and analyze it more carefully. Even without knowing Ren well, Hux could discern that there was something wrong with the knight, if not with his power, then emotionally. Ren had always been unstable and malcontent with a mercurial temper, but this was different. Ren had seemed resigned. Disillusioned, almost. Indifferent, until Hux and prodded him about the Force. He’d given up. Ren had even admitted it. And that sat not at all well with Hux. If he could play his cards just right, Ren might be of use to him yet.

\---

When morning came again, Hux had made up his mind to swallow his pride and find his way back to Ren. Today’s weather brought a miserable, soggy rain that filtered through the dense trees in a constant, rolling downpour of mist like spittle from some great maw. As much as Hux adored his neat First Order greatcoat for it’s striking appearance and warmth, it would never do here. He’d had to purchase clothing more appropriate for the terrain, and was now grateful for the waterproof qualities of his garments, though he missed the imposing figure his uniform gifted him.

After crossing the bridge and approaching Ren’s home, Hux was not prepared to find the man outside, barefoot and swaddled in his usual black robes as he sat with his legs folded beneath him on a low, table-like slab of boulder. Ren’s eyes were closed, chin tilted up ever so slightly, and his hands were rested on his knees. He hardly seemed to be breathing, and for an instant Hux was taken aback. Even from a considerable distance away, Hux could see the silvery raindrops beaded over Ren’s clothes, creating the illusion of a glimmer. Hux must have stood staring for at least a full minute, but Ren hardly stirred.

Frowning uncertainly, Hux took several more steps forward until he was well within Ren’s personal space, and yet the knight remained just as statuesque. With a growing sense of disdain, Hux got the undeniable sense that the man knew he was there, and was now simply waiting. With his eyes closed and muscles so relaxed, Hux was struck by how nonthreatening Ren appeared. The man was still an ungainly, poorly controlled storm of power, with a warrior’s cunning and deadly acumen. But when Hux looked closely, he could make out the minuscule vapors of mist that had collected in Ren’s hair. In his eyelashes, over the regal arch of his nose. Here, there was a rare sense of tranquility and peace. Hux was surprised to determine that this mood seemed to fit Ren more than any rage the man had ever seen him in.

“I thought you didn’t care about my ‘rotting on this backwater moon’,” Ren murmured serenely, startling Hux into a cringe. The man’s eyes were still trustingly closed, and he had moved nothing but his mouth. Hux was offended. Either Ren thought himself the bigger threat and was therefore disinclined to be concerned about Hux, or he didn’t see Hux as a threat at all. Both options were deplorable.

“I don’t,” Hux snapped reflexively, and at once had to reign himself back in. Apparently a few months without contact had allowed Hux’s immaculate self control to disintegrate. If he’d mouthed off like that at all in the academy, he’d have suffered dearly for his lack of control. Because of his carefully cultivated upbringing, Hux had learned to be careful with his words. How to influence people, suggest to them the things he needed without suggesting that he was the one who wanted them in the first place. Manipulation and propaganda had become some of his greatest tools. He couldn’t allow them to atrophy now. Especially dealing with Ren, who required the most delicate of handling.

“I don’t care,” Hux eventually elaborated, voice quieter now but no less stern. “If that is what you choose to do. But I don’t believe it’s what you truly want,” Hux explained, wasting no time in speaking his mind as he skirted around pleasantries. They weren’t necessary with Ren. For a man who deemed storming into a room bellowing commands in greeting, they hardly ever were.

After a few more barely discernible breaths, Ren’s eyes fluttered open, causing his dark lashes to clump together with moisture. His gaze immediately drew up to fixate on Hux, liquid and unreadable.

“And if it is what I want?” the knight asked quietly.

“Then I’ll kindly never speak to you again. You and your poorly programmed protocol droid can live in relative peace.” The silence seemed to stretch on.

“What do you want from me, Hux?” Ren eventually asked, voice thick and smooth as velvet. The remark was unexpected, and lead Hux to believe Ren wasn’t as dull or rash as he let on. Hux had not sincerely believed Ren would be inclined to believe Hux was here because he cared about Ren's emotions or what the man truly desired, but the bluntness and truth of the man's question was unexpectedly keen. Eventually Hux might be able to use Ren, but not fool him.

“Can you not read my mind?” Hux asked, a bit of haughty irritation entering back into his voice.

“Tell me what you want, Hux,” Ren persisted, lips now etched into the semblance of a frown. Hux took a discrete deep breath to calm himself down, deciding he wouldn’t push his limits and had to keep his own temper in check.

“I do not plan to stay here. I refuse to let Snoke’s errors eradicate my chances of making something out of... out of this,” Hux delineated with only the slightest hint of passion. He was being careful now. “I have plans, Ren. I’m going to pick up where Snoke left off. And I’ll do it better,” he added, noting the way his words seemed to strike a chord in Ren. Something familiar, then. A common ground.

“I’m only biding my time here. When the opportunity presents itself, I intend to make a move towards a new order with myself at the head, and I will be successful,” Hux mandated, not out of arrogance but simply matter of fact. “I still have connections and significant friends in the most opportune of places. You are... very valuable, Ren. It would benefit us both to work towards the same goal once more. I know you no longer have a master, but surely you are capable of commanding yourself. We might work together as allies... With more freedom than we once did,” Hux proposed, careful not to beg or allow himself to appear vulnerable. He wasn’t really, but asking for help, even in the most distant ways, had a tendency to make one seem desperate. Hux despised the weak.

For a long moment, Ren seemed stunned, that emotive face telegraphing nearly every thought. It was clear to Hux that Ren had not expected such a proposal, and was having a difficult time believing Hux’s sincerity. Rather than pushing or seeking to elaborate, Hux deigned to wait. Let Ren come to his own conclusions and spell out exactly how he was feeling as the rain pattered over them both.

“You despise me,” Ren eventually murmured, head tipping forward now to hide his features in the shadow of his hood once more. “You seek to use me as a tool, as the Supreme Leader did. I will not be that again. Nor could I. I’ve told you, I have fallen out of touch with the force. I like it here. I’m fine. And I want no part of your new empire,” Ren returned, voice surprisingly calm even as he rose, unfolding to shed silver droplets that dropped suddenly from his cloak like a volley of shooting stars. Ren then strode towards his home without another word.

Hux was left standing in the cold, staring at the single dry spot of moss the displacement of Ren’s body had created on his rock. Acting on a rare, nonsensical whim, Hux sighed and stepped up to stand in the place Ren had been, and scanned the area from his new point of view. It wasn’t much different, as had been expected, and Hux sighed again, letting the minor defeat pass with little mind. If a lifetime shaping the ways of the galaxy had taught him anything, it was that patience was key. Hux could sense it in Ren, the possibility for a change of opinion. And now that he’d gotten himself something to sink his teeth into, Hux would die before he let go. He would have Ren. Whatever the cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been made aware that the title of this work is also the title of a few songs, and while this was unintentional, ironically the lyrics fit pretty darn well. As always, thank you for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

Regardless of everything that had transpired in the past few days, Hux felt relatively optimistic about his new situation with Kylo Ren. Although the man had outright rejected him, and Hux supposed it was rightfully so, there was still a connection that had been forged between them. It had been two days since Hux last visited Ren, and the general was sure that providing Ren time to think over all that had been said would be nothing but beneficial.

Surely if the man was unwilling to be used, Hux could find some way to engage Ren using the man’s own personal desires. If Ren would not work for Hux, then Hux would simply have to find a way to make Ren see that their goals were merely aligned, and that they would be working for the same thing, together. That would be a rather simple issue to fix. Ren’s newfound attitude, however, was another thing.

Whether or not Ren had access to the force now mattered only a marginal amount to Hux, granted the man could still fight and could still strike the same imposing figure that had once caused Rebels and New Order personnel alike to quake at the mere thought of him. There were plenty of highly regarded warriors and political figures throughout the depths of the galaxy who possessed no connection to the force at all and were no less powerful. But an ally was an ally, and Ren, force or no force, was too great of a being to let slip through his fingers. There was an inexplicable draw to the man that Hux could not ignore.

Today, Hux was going back to visit Ren and see what he can make of the strange new opportunity he’s found himself in. The walk to the small island is easier this time, even after having gone only twice before, and not having been for days. Hux possessed a memory for details, and Ren had very suddenly risen to the top of his priority list. There wasn’t much more planning he could do sitting alone in his ship each day, and he had the time to dedicate to this new project anyhow.

This time when Hux approached the clearing in which Ren has made his home, he found it empty. There was no smoke rising from Ren’s cabin and no rain beaded knight meditating between the trees, perched on the flat rock. With a slight frown, Hux rested a hand on his blaster absentmindedly and slowly approached the little building. Hesitating only a moment, Hux knocked and was met with the sound of metallic whirring as the droid he had seen earlier opened the door.

“Oh, hello there,” the droid greeted him cheerfully. “Please, come in. Master Ben is out, but I am sure he would be very happy to see you when he returns,” it rambled, stepping out of the way to allow Hux in with an outstretched arm. Not sensing any form of a trap, Hux pressed his lips into a thin line and stepped into the cabin after the droid.

“Oh my! Where are my manners,” the droid began again, and Hux struggled not to let himself appear visibly aggravated by the unnecessary prattle. “I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations. May I get you some tea, Master...”

“Hux,” the general supplied curtly, assuming there was no need to lie, granted C-3PO had been present for his and Ren’s initial reintroduction and had surely caught his name before.

“Where has Ren gone?” Hux asked, passing over the polite offer for tea in favor of determining whether or not he was wasting his time here. The droid cocked its’ head to one side and seemed to think for a moment before replying. Perhaps he was evaluating Hux’s mood and thinning patience.

“I certainly don’t know, Master Hux. Oh, nobody tells me anything,” the droid seemed to lament. “Although, he should be returning shortly. He’s been awfully quiet lately. You certainly seemed to shake him up.”

Hux pondered this for a moment, looking the droid over with careful scrutiny. “Why are you here, C-3PO?” he questioned cooly, feeling there was more to this chatty droid than what was presumable at first glance. C-3PO was vaguely familiar.

“Oh, dear. I’m not certain Master Ben would like anyone to know,” C-3PO fretted, but continued nevertheless. “General Organa sent me to stay with Master Ben. He was contacted about receiving me. Master Ben will not see her, but he could not turn me away either. I believe they came to some sort of arrangement. She could not bear the thought of him being lonely,” the droid explained, leaving Hux somewhat puzzled.

He had known that Kylo Ren had been born Ben Solo, son of General Organa and Han Solo, but Ren had made it abundantly clear that he had more than renounced any familial ties. Aside from that, General Organa was still head of the Resistance, and the leader of the growing New Republic taking shape in the wake of the First Order’s destruction. Organa was the enemy, and this droid had been sent directly by her. Suddenly Hux’s blood ran cold.

“Does anyone other than Ren know you are here?” Hux asked sharply.

“No, sir. Master Ben made sure of that. He’s hiding out here you know. Such a shame. General Organa misses him so. But he would not have it. Out here living all alone. The General cannot find him, sir. She gave up long ago,” C-3PO finally summed up.

Despite the fact that there was nothing stopping this droid from speaking falsehoods, Hux was begrudgingly inclined to believe what it had to say. He was grateful for his thick coat’s long sleeves today, to hide the shaking of his hands. If the New Republic, in its’ search for General Organa’s long lost son, now enemy of the Republic, managed to find Hux... everything Hux had done to hide himself away would be for nothing.

Just as the droid began to say something more, the door to the cabin swung open, and Ren strode in, making the already small room feel ten times smaller. Rather than appearing surprised to see a man standing in his home like Hux thought he might be, Ren was utterly calm.

“Hello, Hux. Hello, ‘3PO,” Ren murmured, his voice so rich and smooth without the grating respirator on his helmet. Hux had never noticed before.

“Your protocol droid is a personal gift from your mother. Who currently heads the fledgeling efforts of the New Republic,” Hux deadpanned, wasting no time voicing his concerns. Watching Ren carefully for any signs of danger or the fits of rage the Ren he knew was so prone to, Hux straightened his spine and waited. These were serious issues, and Hux needed an explanation and a reassurance of safety, or he would be gone from Endor within the day. Although Hux was sure Ren could sense Hux’s anxieties and anger, the man simply shot him a flat look and slid off a bag he’d had hanging across his torso.

“Did you know, Hux, that C-3PO was built by my grandfather?” Ren began, kneeling on one of his cushions to unpack the items of his bag as he spoke. “Anakin Skywalker himself, built ‘3PO out of a scrap heap. To help his own mother manage her household. He has been a loyal aide to my grandmother, Padmé Organa, and to my own mother as well. And now to me. He has been in my family for four generations. Yes, C-3PO has been... instrumental to the Rebels of my grandfather’s age and the Resistance of our own... but he is loyal to me. To my family. My mother’s involvement is not a concern,” Ren continued, pausing in his unpacking to meet eyes with Hux.

“She knows I am alive. But I will not be swayed to see her. I do not want to be a part of any of this, either side. The Resistance. The First Order. I belong here. Alone. She understands that. But... she cares for me more than she should,” Ren continued, eyes dark as he looked away with what Hux presumed was a look of guilt. Perhaps over the death of his own father. Pathetic.

“C-3PO is here to keep me company. That is all. No one is looking for me. No one is going to find you,” Ren finally grumbled out, obviously emotionally agitated by what he had just explained to Hux.

It took Hux a moment to assess all that he had just witnessed, brows slightly furrowed. He had certainly not expected Ren to speak so elaborately about the family he had once so furiously denied and rejected, nor had he expected the man’s words to be so reassuring. Before Hux could open his mouth again, Ren looked up and pinned him with a calm stare.

“Why are you here, Hux? You don’t need me to create another opposition to the New Republic. You have your connections. I won’t be another tool. I am no longer a knight. You know I won’t help you,” he continued calmly, causing Hux to scowl and shake his head.

“You’re right, Ren. You would not be a tool to me. As I’ve said before. We might be partners. Equals.”

Ren dismissed him with a shake of his head, cutting through Hux’s spiel like he was waving away cobwebs from a corner. “No, Hux. I’ve seen how this works. I want no part of it. You despise me, I know it, and you seem to have forgotten that I would be of little use to anyone now,” Ren continued with a flustered swipe of his hands. With grit teeth, Hux calmed his expression and shook his head gently before walking over to the other cushion and seating himself with practiced confidence.

“Explain it to me. This force issue,” Hux demanded, although he was careful to keep the hard edge out of his voice. Amongst the scattered oddities Ren had brought home, on the tree stump table between them, a large beetle clicked quietly in it’s jar. “How does it work. Why can’t you use it anymore?”

A long, gruff sigh of frustration was drawn out of Ren, and the knight ran an exasperated hand through his hair. He seemed to know Hux was stubborn enough to stand his ground until he got what he wanted, or at least some of it.

“Listen to me, Hux. It’s gone. It’s gone, and I’m not getting it back. No amount of your scheming or explanations of your grand plans will change that. I’m not explaining it to you,” the man huffed hotly, though for once in all the emotion Hux was not afraid of Ren. Well aware of his own piercing green stare, Hux watched Ren wordlessly for a long moment before the larger of the two broke down into a slight slump.

“The force... is an energy. It is created by all living things. It ties all things together. It is the breath of the galaxy,” Ren explained tentatively, in a way that suggested he was repeating something that was once told to him by someone else. “Those who rely on the Dark Side of the force hold great value in personal power. Control. There are... things... that make this more possible. Emotions. Anger. Selfishness. Hatred. Fear. They served me greatly before. I was strong. Talented, beyond my years,” Ren continued, reaching now to rest his hands in his lap.

“I cannot be slave to the way of the Dark Side any longer. I do not regret my actions or what I have learned. But I am done with it. I... I cannot make the same mistakes I have made. I will not blindly follow those who might promise me greatness at the expense of cutting so deeply into myself. I’m making my own way,” Ren vowed solemnly, and the soft, ancient look in his eyes told Hux that somehow, there was no changing Ren’s mind.

Surprising even himself, Hux found himself nodding once in agreement, now folding his own hands neatly in his lap in quiet resolve. “So you’ve gone to the Light Side, then?” he questioned cooly, no emotion now, simply assessing the facts. Ren shook his head, wayward strands of hair brushing against prominent cheekbones.

“No. Neither. I told you. I’m done,” Ren insisted, beginning to look a little irritated and weary of explaining things to Hux.

“But you can still use the force. Feel it,” Hux prompted curiously. Albeit unfamiliar with force users, as rare as they were, he was fairly confidant one did not just stop being able to connect with the strange energy. To his knowledge, a sense of the force was just as much ingrained and natural as something like breathing to those who could feel it. It wasn’t something one turned off.

“Feel it, yes. Using it is a different matter. Harnessing it takes concentration. It takes time, and it takes deliberate concentration. A path of thought. A plan. You wouldn’t understand. But I am done,” Ren pressed dismissively, a dangerous finality easing into his tone. Hux was wise enough to back off, and simply held Ren’s heated gaze for a moment before offering another small nod.

Seemingly satisfied by this, Ren let out a small sigh and visibly relaxed his broad, cloak-swathed shoulders. “How did you find me, Hux?” the man asked, causing Hux to arch a delicate eyebrow.

“You think I came looking for you on purpose?” Hux mused, suddenly realizing that of course, to Ren, meeting out of the blue was just as odd to him as it had been to Hux. If things had been the other way around, and Ren had one day suddenly turned up at Hux’s shuttle door, the general would have thought himself purposefully tracked down as well.

“I’ve been living here, Ren. Same as you. Hiding from the Republic. Only, I don’t plan to stay,” Hux explained wryly. This produced an almost comical expression on Ren’s face, as the man very visibly attempted to discern if Hux was lying.

“I wouldn’t have guessed. The great General Hux, rotting on a backwater moon,” the man returned, flashing only the slightest bit of teeth in the most lopsided grin Hux had ever seen. And then the expression was gone, leaving Hux with only the brief memory of those lips and the tinge of sarcasm in Ren’s voice. Hux almost laughed outright from the shock of it. Ren was teasing him. As if they were friends. That, Hux would have never imagined, in a thousand lifetimes.

“Don’t test me, Ren,” Hux warned, surprised by the easy undertone of his own voice. He needed to leave now, before he do something so foolish as to strike up a companionship with Ren, who had made his lack of willingness to participate in Hux’s scheme very clear. Ren was right. Hux did not need him.

“I’ll leave you in peace, with your... collection,” Hux hedged, warily eyeing the contents of Ren’s bag now strewn delicately across the table. After picking himself up gently, Hux then turned and quietly strode towards Ren’s door, ignoring C-3PO standing idly nearby. Hux’s hand was already on the door’s handle when he heard a hurried rush of fabric behind him, as if Ren had scrambled suddenly to his feet. Hux had intended to leave without another word to retreat to his ship and ponder their meeting, but Ren’s voice may as well have been a magnet, keeping Hux in place.

“Don’t go yet,” the man called softly, as the sound of glass being scooped up off of wood enticed Hux to turn around. “I think... that you’ve grown bored. And that I have something you’d like to see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all of the support, everyone. I've been on a bit of a hiatus, and I don't know how frequently I'll be able to update, but I intend to finish this story if it kills me. Let me know what you all think. I appreciate hearing your opinions.


End file.
